


Angel

by NarryMusings



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angel Niall, Christmas Fluff, Elf Harry, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Pining, Workplace AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 20:06:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8728393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarryMusings/pseuds/NarryMusings
Summary: Niall is a literal angel. Harry is an elf.
Christmassy Workplace!AU, with a lil bit of pining.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Beware of Christmassy references and cliches. 
> 
> Happy reading!

Niall watches him from afar.

He’s all short, choppy hair that he hasn’t known what to do with since he got it cut a few weeks ago, exactly as dark as Niall’s favourite flavor of chocolate – and green eyes, brighter than the green of his uniform – and wonderful, beautiful cheekbones, and cute dimples, and deliciously plump looking lips, and the cutest of ears, and-

“You know,” a voice starts behind him, startling him, “if you took a picture it would last longer.”

“For charcoal’s sake, Louis,” Niall mutters, reaching around to punch his friend in the arm.

Louis scowls, rubbing the spot where Niall hit him. “That’s not very _angel_ -like, you know.”

Niall glares at him as they both stand in line at the large buffet counter in the middle of the cafeteria. A loud shriek of laughter bursts through the room, then, and his gaze lands back on Harry as he absentmindedly hands Louis a giant plate.

Harry, whose hands are clasped over his mouth and whose shoulders are shaking with laughter. Harry, who beams like a star on top of a Christmas tree. Harry, this beautiful, wonderful, untouchable enigma of an elf that captured his attention months ago and hasn’t left the confines of Niall’s mind since.

“If you think taking a picture of him without his knowledge is too weird, although I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, you could always just, y’know, _talk to him_.”

Niall rolls his eyes as he tears his gaze away and begins loading his plate with turkey steak, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. “ _You_ could butt out, y’know.”

Louis scoffs. “I’m trying to help you figure out your love life, Niall. At the very least, I’m trying to get you laid. Just be thankful I haven’t hung a sprig mistletoe above your head where your halo should be.”

“Only because you haven’t figured out how,” Niall smirks. “And, I don’t need your help, Tommo.”

“I beg to differ. You haven’t gone on a date in ages – literally since you tried and failed to patch things up with Holly,” Louis points out. “By the way, have I have ever told you that I find it really amusing how her parents literally named her after a plant?”

“Several times,” Niall deadpans.

“Classic,” Louis giggles. “Like classic Christmas music.”

“Are you done?”

“I just really think you should talk to him, Nialler.”

Niall sighs as they both turn away from the buffet, having filled their plates, to look for an open table. They find on near the back of the cafeteria, a few tables over from where Harry’s sitting with a few other elves, and one angel named Liam. “I can’t,” he says, as they begin to weave their way through several tables full of elves and angels.

Louis rolls his eyes as he pulls out a chair, before falling into it. “And why is that?”

“Because he’s an _elf_.”

Louis blinks, his face blank as he stares at Niall from across the table. “And?”

Niall shrugs. “And- I’m an angel.”

“ _And?_ ”

“And elves don’t date angels,” Niall mutters.

Louis snorts. “Says who, Niall?”

“I don’t know- Everyone?”

“Then why have I never heard of this…rule?” Louis asks, eyebrows arched curiously.

Niall sighs, before taking a small sip of his peppermint eggnog. “It’s just- It’s just a thing, Tommo, alright? Elves don’t date angels, and vice versa.”

“I don’t think that’s true. In fact-“

“Besides,” Niall mutters, gaze landing on Harry once more. Harry, who looks at one of his fellow elves with the long, shiny, dark hair and legs for days, Kendall, like she’s put the Angel at the top of the tree. “For all I know, he’s already taken.”

“But you don’t know,” Louis points out. “Which is why you should just talk to him.”

Niall shakes his head as he takes a bite from his mashed potatoes. He swallows first, before responding, “If I promise to think about it, will you leave me alone?”

“Probably.”

“Then I promise to think about it. Now leave me alone.”

“You know, for a happy little Christmas Angel,” Louis hums, “you’re a real Grinch.”

X

Santa’s workshop is less of a workshop and more of an…empire. It a building that’s 25 stories tall, and a business with seven departments that employs hundreds of elves and angels who work 270 days a year to produce the world’s best toys, trinkets and other valuables to be delivered across the globe over the course of 24 hours one day a year.

Santa’s office is on the 25th floor. Niall works with his fellow angels on the 24th floor. And all of the elves, separated by their departments, take up the rest of the floors.

Harry works on the 21st floor, in the _Literature_ department, and specializes in making leather bound books. Or, so Niall hears – via Louis, who works in the _Sporting_ department.

X

“Have you talked to him yet?”

Niall groans, rolls his eyes as he reaches for the button to close the lift door- But then there’s an arm slipping between both metal panels, and the doors are forced to open once more.

That’s when Harry stumbles through them, into the lift, and Niall’s throat runs dry. He’s all long, clumsy limbs as he regains his balance, cheeks flushed as he apologizes.

Louis tells him that it’s okay, but Niall doesn’t respond. In fact, he can’t even bring himself to look at Harry for fear of drooling – or worse, blurting out something along the lines of, ‘I love you’. (Which sounds crazy, he knows, because he doesn’t even really know Harry- But there are so many things he does love about Harry – like his hair, and his eyes, and his broad shoulders, and the way his arse looks in those tight, green pants.)

“Thirteen days until Christmas,” Louis comments.

“Yeah,” Harry breathes. “It’s crunch time.”

“Do you have a lot left to do?” (Niall hates how easy it is for Louis to talk to him.)

“At the rate my team is working, we should be done by the 22nd. Maybe even the 21st, if we’re lucky.”

Louis smirks. “Could ask the angel over there to give you some Christmas luck.”

Harry looks at Niall – and smiles. Niall blushes hard.

The elevator stops at floor 10; Louis’ floor. “Nice to see ya, mate,” Louis says, clapping a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “And- I’ll see you after work, Angel.”

Niall’s mouth feels like sandpaper as he mutters a soft, “Yeah, see ya.”

The lift falls silent as the doors close behind the elf who practically skips away, and Niall really hopes that Harry can’t hear the way his heart is trying to beat itself out of his chest.

“So, ‘m Harry,” the brunet says softly, smiling shyly in Niall’s direction.

“Niall,” the blond murmurs back. He swallows hard around the lump in his throat.

“I know.”

Niall sort of wants to let the ground swallow him up. Why would Harry know his name? How would Harry know his name?

“It’s just, uh,” Harry stutters, then, “Liam talks about you a lot.”

And- Niall’s heart sort of sinks at that. “Oh,” he mutters.

“All good,” Harry blurts quickly. “All good things, I promise.”

Silence falls down over them once more, and Niall’s heart is beating a mile a minute in his chest. This is the worst. It’s the absolute worst conversation he’s ever had with anyone, by far. And of all the people… Of all the people to get stuck in an elevator with, it just had to be Harry.

He’s going to need to have a talk with someone about this. Niall has never done anything wrong. Like, literally- Not ever. He’s a literal Angel, for Christ’s sake. And here he is, being punished like one of the mortal children on Santa’s naughty list.

The elevator stops, suddenly, jolting Niall out of his head. He looks up, reads the number 21, and then watches as Harry secures his bag over his shoulder by the long strap.

“Well, this is where I leave you,” Harry murmurs, turning to face Niall as the doors open in front of him. “It was nice to finally meet you, Niall.”

“S-Same,” is all Niall can muster.

He groans the second the door closes, sealing him inside – but more importantly, sealing Harry outside. He lets himself fall back against the wall, lets his head drop back with a light _thud_ as the elevator begins to move again.

_Same?_ he scolds himself. Like, what, it was nice for Harry to finally meet Niall as well?

He’s such an idiot.

_I did it_ , Niall sends off in a text message to Louis.

A reply comes less than a minute later: _And???_

_I’m never doing it again._

X

He’s watching the crystal ball, hands propped on his hips, bottom lip caught between his teeth.

Benjamin Winston is a real Scrooge. He’s a miserable, old Grinch around Christmas time who makes everyone else around him miserable in return – including his wife and child. Sometimes he’s just moody, and all around unpleasant, but most of the time he’s just…mean. He’s mean to everyone – from his employees at the studio he works at in L.A., to the fake Santa Claus that stands outside his building raising money for the Salvation Army, to his entire family.

And Niall knows why. He knows that it stems back to his childhood. He knows that it all comes back to the fact that his father was an abusive drunk who couldn’t be helped no matter hard the Christmas Angels tried. But it’s no excuse, not to Niall. If anything, Benjamin’s experience should make him want to be different – to be more caring and compassionate and loving, to be understanding and forgiving, to be a good father and husband.

The Christmas Angels of Benjamin’s father’s time didn’t have that many resources, and they didn’t have much choice. They failed Mr. Winston, and by default, they also failed Benjamin. But Niall refuses. He won’t fail Benjamin, nor will he fail Benjamin’s son. He’s going to fix this by Christmas Day. He is.

He just…has to figure out how.

A loud chime sings around the room, tears him from his thoughts, and rips his gaze away from where he’s been watching Benjamin berate his staff in this morning’s business meeting. The sound is coming from his computer, across the room at his desk, signalling that he has an email waiting to be opened.

It’s from Harry.

Niall’s heart jumps up into his throat, and the butterflies come to life in his stomach. He reaches for the mouse, with shaky hands.

_Hiii. It’s Harry – although, you probably already knew that. Anyway, Liam and I are going out for drinks after work tomorrow, and I was thinking that maybe you and Louis would like to join us? (Maybe I can convince you into getting hot cocoa after too?) It’s just a thought, and I promise I won’t be offended if you say no._

He sits down, rests his back against the back of the chair, and stares at the screen. He reads the email six more times, before leaning forward, placing his hands over the keyboard.

Harry Styles wants to hang out with him. The only thing better than that scenario, is the fact that Harry Styles wants to hang out with him even though Niall proved himself to be a huge idiot the other day in the lift.

_Hello, Harry. I’m down for having a few drinks, and I’m sure it won’t be hard to talk Louis into it too. (Also- I LOVE hot cocoa, so I’m definitely down for that too.)_

Niall’s heart is beating so quickly, so loudly in his chest that it sort of echoes in his ears, as he waits with bated breath to see if Harry is going to reply.

The computer chimes less than a minute later, and Niall freezes.

_Lovely! I can’t wait. Should we meet in the lobby, at say- 6 o’clock?_

_Sounds good to me :)_

He lets a breath, leans back in his chair once more, and pulls his phone out from his back pocket to text Louis that they’re going out for drinks with Liam – and Harry – tomorrow, and that he’s not allowed to say no even if he wants to. And then he ignores the seven consecutive texts he receives afterwards, in favour of getting back to work.

X

“I can’t do it,” Niall mutters, staring at himself in the small mirror inside the lift. His hair is a bit of a mess, which isn’t anything out of the ordinary – and it doesn’t help that he’s been tugging at it and playing anxiously with it all day. He’s also changed into a standard pair of skinny jeans and a grey jumper, rather than the black slacks and crisp white shirt he’d been wearing all day.

“Yes you can.”

“No- Nope, I can’t,” Niall repeats. “Cover for me, while I slip out the back door-“

“Niall James Horan, you stupid angel,” Louis snaps, turning his whole body just to glare at the blond beside him. “It’s fine. It’s nothing – just a few drinks between co-workers. That’s all it is, really. I mean- Unless you get sloshed on peppermint cider and wind up dragging Harry into the loo after a round of karaoke, or something, but-“

Niall groans loudly. “Shut up.”

“Why? You don’t think that could happen?”

“I think you talk too much.”

“What if it’s the other way around?” Louis asks, looking thoughtful. “Or what if you both get sloshed, and then Harry just sort of follows you home or something and you let him because-“

“You’re really not helping,” Niall tells him.

“And you’re not denying that it could happen.”

Niall rolls his eyes, shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans, and then leans back against the wall of the lift. There’s only 15 floors left, so he has to decide relatively quickly.

“Santa’s beard, Niall-“ Louis squawks. “You’re not denying it. What are you hiding?”

“Nothing-“

“Is this a date? Have you tricked me into chaperoning a date, Niall?”

Niall sighs. “No, it’s not a date. But…he did suggest that we go out for hot cocoa after – just the two of us. At least, I think-“

“Why are you only mentioning this now?” Louis demands.

“Because I was already nervous, and you were already not helping,” Niall snaps.

Louis seems to understand, then. He takes a small step back, away from Niall, and nods. “Well, if and when the two of you head out to get hot cocoa, I’ll distract Liam. Deal?”

Niall smiles softly. “Deal.”

Louis can be a real pain the arse sometimes, but he’s also a really great friend.

The lift doors open a moment later, and Niall realizes that even if he really did want to try and sneak out the back door, it would be impossible – given the fact that Harry and Liam are standing only a few feet away. They’re deep in conversation, sure, but he’s pretty sure that at least one of them would notice if Niall tried to make a run for it. Besides, Harry notices them the second they step off of the lift-

“There you are,” Harry says, smiling brightly. The dimple Niall loves appears in Harry’s cheek – and it makes the butterflies in Niall’s stomach come to life. “Thought you might have been standing me up.”

And, well, Niall tries actively to ignore the fact that Harry just made it sound like a date, if for no other reason than to calm his rapidly beating heart.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Harold,” Louis says, which Niall silently thanks him for.

“So,” Liam starts, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically, “we were thinking of going to the Candy Cane. We’ve never been, but rumour has it they have candy cane flavoured mojitos.”

“Sounds great,” Louis says cheerfully. “Right, Niall?”

The blond nods, but doesn’t trust his voice enough to verbally agree.

Louis grabs Liam’s arm, then, and tugs as he leads the way until the two of them fall into step side-by-side. Niall’s heart feels like it’s sitting up in his throat as he falls into step beside Harry, hands shoved deep into his pockets to stop them from shaking.

X

Niall’s two and a half pints down when he feels a hand clamp down on his shoulder. When he looks up, it’s to see Harry come around the back of Niall’s chair, before sliding into the one across the table from him.

They’ve been here for a couple of hours now, and this is the first time Niall has been alone around Harry since arriving. Louis and Liam have disappeared outside since Harry had excused himself to the loo a little while ago; actually, Louis had sort of just dragged Liam, by the elf’s Christmas jumper, away from the table under the guise that he ‘didn’t want to be alone – and maybe so that Niall and Harry can be alone’. Niall might have hit him in the mouth if he believed in inflicting violence.

“So,” Harry hums, curling both of his hands around the half full glass of a peppermint mojito he’d left at the table. “Tell me about your project.”

Niall’s brow furrows in confusion as he swallows hard around the lump in his throat. “Project?”

Harry grins above the rim of his glass before he takes a sip. “Yeah,” he says, putting the glass back down. “Liam says that yours is basically the most complex out of everyone’s.”

“Oh- You mean my _person?_ Benjamin Winston.”

“That’s the one.”

Niall shrugs. “He’s- Yeah, he’s definitely complex.”

“Liam told me that his case is the most crucial for the department, and that that’s why Corden gave him to you,” Harry says, smiling softly. “He says you’re one of the best angels there. Just like your dad.”

Niall rolls his eyes, albeit fondly. “Liam tends to exaggerate,” he replies.

Harry arches a curious eyebrow. “So, you’re telling me that he’s wrong? You aren’t one of the best angels?”

“I… I do have the highest success rate.”

“Then he’s really _not_ exaggerating, is he?”

Niall doesn’t know why, but Harry’s sudden interest in his job makes him blush. “I guess not,” he murmurs.

“I like how humble you are,” Harry tells him, his voice soft and his smile gentle.

_I like everything about you_ , is what Niall wants to say. Instead, he simply says, “Thank you.”

Harry leans forward, then, folding both arms in front of him across the table. His glass is empty now, but he doesn’t seem to care. He doesn’t seem to care about much of anything, really, except for Niall’s gaze – which makes Niall blush even harder. He’s never been more thankful for the way alcohol tinges his cheeks red anyway. “Tell me about him,” he requests. “Tell me why Corden gave him to you.”

Niall raises a sceptical eyebrow. “The last thing I want to do is bore you, Harry.”

“You won’t, I promise. I’m actually really interested in this stuff.”

Niall continues to stare back at him intently – and the only thing he sees is genuine interest and patience written all over Harry’s face. “He suffers from one of the worst cases of depression that I have ever seen, due to a long history of abuse at the hands of his father, and neglect from his mother. His father was a drunk, and he was abusive towards the both of them, and his mother tried to protect him as often as she could, until she didn’t. Years of abuse had broken her to the point where she didn’t have the strength – mentally or physically – to protect Benjamin.

“And Benjamin isn’t physically abusive, he’s never laid a hand on his wife or his son – but he’s verbally abusive, as well as neglectful. He’s ruining his family the same way his father did decades ago. And my job to fix it.”

“And how do you do that?” Harry asks, sounding genuinely curious.

Niall shrugs. “Every human is different. No two humans can be fixed exactly the same way. There are trends, though, and I’ve tried nearly all of them but they haven’t worked.”

Harry frowns. “What happens if none of them work?”

“It depends. Sometimes cases get passed onto other angels the following season, and other times cases are considered closed.”

“Jesus,” Harry breathes. “That sounds incredibly morbid.”

Niall nods. “Which is why I need to fix this one by this Christmas. Because if I don’t, then his case will be closed and it’s only a matter of time before a case for his son opens.”

“No pressure or anything,” Harry whispers.

This is why Niall doesn’t really like to talk about his cases – at least, not to non-angels. Non-angels don’t quite get it. They also aren’t, well, angels and they don’t have a never ending supply of happiness within them.

“Anyway,” Niall says, pausing to finish of the last bit of his pint. “Your turn. Tell me about the _Literature_ department.”

Harry laughs as he leans back, letting one hand fall into his lap. “Now _that_ will definitely bore you.”

“It won’t,” Niall insists. “I promise.”

The brunette smiles. “We made an upside down book the other day.”

Niall blinks. “ _An upside down book?_ ”

“Yeah, like- This bloke, Jeff, he messed up and – well, basically, the inside pages ended up upside down compared to the cover,” Harry explains. His voice is enthusiastic, and his smile is bright, and his eyes – as dark and beautiful as the tree standing tall and glorious in the middle of the North Pole – are excited. He loves his job. And Niall kind of loves how much he loves his job.

“It was fine though,” Harry continues. “I told everyone that we should just pretend that it was the result we had wanted, and Simon loved it.”

Niall laughs, shakes his head slightly as he looks down at his empty glass. He feels like his heart is going to burst if he keeps looking at Harry.

Harry groans, and when Niall looks back up it’s to see him running a hand through his hair. “I really am boring you, aren’t I?”

“No- No, of course not,” Niall insists quickly. He finds himself reaching across the table to lay one hand over Harry’s . “I promised you wouldn’t, and I mean it. I literally have to – I’m an angel.”

Harry giggles.

Niall thinks he probably shouldn’t tell Harry the truth, though, regardless. He should probably keep it to himself how nervous he is, and how his eyes might actually turn into hearts if he keeps staring. “Seriously, I’m not bored. I don’t even think it’s possible for a bloke like you to be boring.”

Harry raises one eyebrow, as a smirk tugs gently at his lips. “What does that mean, _a bloke like me_?”

Niall blinks, taken aback. “Um, I just- I just mean-“

“Oi, oi!” Louis shouts, as if perfectly on cue – which Niall couldn’t be more thankful for. “Liam and I want to play a round or two of billiards. You boys in? I call having Liam on my team.”

Harry shrugs. “I wouldn’t mind a round, or two. Niall?”

“Sure,” Niall agrees, perhaps a little bit too quickly.

“Great!” Liam grins.

“Come on,” Louis urges, yanking Niall out of his seat by the collar of his jumper.

“Christ, Lou- We’re coming.”

“Yeah, and so is Christmas,” Louis scoffs. “And those two blokes over there, if we don’t steal the table first, so hurry up.” He lets go of Niall’s jumper, then, and joins Liam at the table.

“Someone’s a bit of a Grinch,” Harry murmurs, pushing himself to his feet.

Niall laughs a little bit harder than he probably should, whilst his heart gives a tug.

X

“He’s incredibly intense,” Harry says, as he follows Niall towards the bar.

They lost against Liam and Louis – and, according to Louis, the losing team has to buy the winning team a round of drinks. Niall was going to refuse, but he also wants to continue to make a good impression on Harry and, well…

Niall smirks as he leans against the counter. “He really likes to win, and really hates to lose. You get used to it, the more time he forces you spend with him.” He’s kidding, of course. He likes spending time with Louis, and he likes Louis. It’s just that Louis can be really intense sometimes – almost too intense.

Harry hums. “What if I’d rather just spend time with you?”

The colour rises in Niall’s cheeks, and he finds himself silently thanking whatever God is looking over him at the moment when the bartender elf approaches them. Ordering a round of drinks gives him at least a few seconds of relief – a few seconds to control himself and contain himself. A few seconds to slow his rapidly beating heart, and let the colour pale in his cheeks.

“Well,” he starts, though he keeps his gaze trained ahead of him, glued to a nick in the counter, “I was thinking after this last pint we could get that hot cocoa we said we’d get.”

A loud, distinct sound of Jingle Bells erupts from within the confines of the back pocket of Harry’s jeans, then, and Niall turns away from the counter, watches Harry pull the device free from the material around it. Harry tells him silently to give him a minute, so Niall busies himself with watching the bartender pour four pints as Harry turns away to answer the call.

He comes back around just as Niall’s reaching for two of the four pints he’s just paid for, and there’s a small frown spread across his pretty lips. “So, I have to go,” he says sheepishly, his voice but a whisper. “Gemma’s having a crisis as home.”

Niall blinks, taken aback. “Oh.”

“It’s- It’s kind of an emergency, so could you tell the lads for me?”

“Yeah, sure,” Niall mutters.

“Thank you,” Harry breathes. He leans in – and Niall finds himself holding his breath as Harry wraps his arms around Niall’s shoulders in a hug. “I’ll take a rain check on that hot cocoa though, yeah?”

“Sure, yeah.”

And then Harry’s gone, and Niall’s carrying four pints back to where Louis and Liam are playing a one-on-one game of billiards.

Liam notices him first. “Did Harry disappear into the loo again?” he asks, smirk spreading across his face. “That bloke has a bladder the size of a chestnut.”

“You should go join him, Nialler,” Louis teases suggestively.

“He had to leave,” Niall says, falling into the closest chair next to the table. “Something about Gemma having a crisis.”

Liam hums, like he knows. And Louis nods, like he understands.

And Niall hates it. Niall hates that nobody told him about _Gemma_. And he hates, even more, that he let himself get his hopes up for nothing.

X

Avoiding Harry afterwards becomes easier said than done. Before, it was easy for Niall to just admire him from afar because they were never in the same circle. Now, however, not only is Niall running – quite literally sometimes – into Harry all over the building, but Louis and Liam are constantly around each other, and Harry is almost constantly around Liam and, well, because of that Niall’s been taking his lunches back to his office to eat a lot more frequently over the last several days.

He can’t look Harry in the face now, is the thing. It’s just- It’s hard. It’s hard constantly having to ignore temptation. And it’s even harder being heartbroken over losing something one never had.

And that’s one thing that Niall still can’t figure out. It’s one thing for Louis not to have warned him that a woman named Gemma existed, because perhaps he didn’t know, and maybe Liam couldn’t tell just by looking at Niall that he’s practically, irrevocably in love with him, but Harry… Why didn’t Harry mention her sooner? And why would Harry flirt with him?

There’s also the added factor, which just so happens to give him a near perfect excuse, that Christmas Day is closing in on all of them and he still hasn’t figured out how to fix Benjamin. And Benjamin should be his main priority.

X

His focus is intent on the crystal ball, absentmindedly shovelling forkfuls of pumpkin pie into his mouth, when his office door opens. He looks up briefly as Louis walks in, closing the door behind him, and then looks back at the crystal ball. Benjamin and his wife are fighting. Again.

“You know, lunchtime usually means that you’re allowed to step away from that crystal ball,” Louis says, dropping into Niall’s seat behind his desk. He kicks his feet up onto the table and leans back into the chair.

“I’m busy,” Niall murmurs.

“I can see that. But I was hoping I could steal a moment of your time.”

Niall sighs. “Can’t it wait until the end of the day?”

“Well, that’s just it, isn’t it,” Louis sighs. “You always rush out of here at the end of the day now, for whatever reason. And, personally, I’d like to know what that’s about.”

“I’ve been busy.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Niall. Not only have I known you my whole entire life and can tell when you’re lying – but you’re an angel, for heaven’s sake. You really can’t lie.”

And, well- He isn’t wrong, Niall supposes.

“Is it Harry?” Louis asks, sounding curious. “Have you suddenly lost interest?”

“No,” Niall murmurs. “But there’s no point in it anyway.”

Louis arches a confused eyebrow. “Why not? Did you start dating somebody without telling me? Is it Holly?”

Niall sighs. “No, it’s not Holly- It’s not anyone. At least, not for me.”

“I’m not following-“

“Harry has a girlfriend,” Niall blurts.

Louis snorts. “Harry doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

“He does.”

“I’m telling you, Niall. He doesn’t-“

“Her name is Gemma,” Niall says. “She’s why he had to leave early when we were at the pub, because-“

Louis starts to laugh, loud and obnoxious, with his head thrown back over the top of the chair. And then he keeps laughing, until he’s almost wheezing, as he pushes himself to his feet, hands planted firmly on top of Niall’s desk.

“Do you plan on stopping any time soon to tell me what you think is so funny?”

“You,” Louis breathes. He stands up straight, places his hands on his hips and pushes his shoulders back as he takes in a deep breath. He’s no longer laughing, but there’s a smirk plastered to his stupid lips. “You’re hilarious, Horan. And I promise you that Harry doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

Niall’s brow furrows in confusion. “How do you know? Who is she? Why does he live with her, then?”

Louis opens his mouth like he’s going to respond – and then he promptly closes. He looks thoughtful as he comes around to stand in front of Niall’s desk. “You should ask Harry.”

Niall sighs. “Just tell me, Tommo.”

“No, I really think you should ask Harry,” Louis says, grinning from ear to ear.

“Why can’t you just tell me?”

Louis shrugs, before he starts walking backwards toward the exit. “Because, first of all, I think it’ll be much more entertaining coming from him. And, well, you’ve been avoiding him for several days now, so I think you owe it to him to talk to him about why.”

Niall rolls his eyes. “Elves are supposed to be giving. Why won’t you just give me an answer?”

“That would be far too easy,” Louis drawls. “It also isn’t my gift to give.”

“I hate you sometimes,” Niall mutters.

Louis smirks as he pulls open the door. “Love you too.”

X

He contemplates using his crystal ball to watch over Harry. That way he wouldn’t have to actually _ask_ Harry who Gemma is, because he could just observe and figure it out that way instead. He decides against it fairly quickly, though, because he’s an angel and he can’t live with a guilty conscious. Firstly, it’s literally impossible. And secondly, there’s no way he’d be able to look Harry in the eye afterwards, even if he _could_.

Instead, he continues to avoid Harry.

That is, until Harry makes avoiding him impossible.

X

It’s 8:35 p.m. on December 24rd, when his buzzer rings. And it’s weird, he thinks briefly, because everyone he knows well enough knows the code to get into the building. Louis even has a key – despite the fact that he’s pretty sure it was a bad idea, what with the fact that a bunch of his socks have mysteriously disappeared.

He doesn’t bother asking who it is before he lets whoever is waiting on him in via the box on the wall next to the front door. He flips the lock on the door, before he heads into the kitchen – where he’s been stress baking from the moment he got home. It’s a trait he picked up from his mother, and a habit he really wished he could stop.

He’s gotten absolutely nowhere with Benjamin, is the thing. (Nor with Harry.)

In fact, if anything, things with Benjamin have only gotten worse. (Same with Harry.) And he only has one more day until Christmas, by which time he’ll have to turn Benjamin’s unclosed case file over to James and admit defeat – as well as tarnish his high success rate. (And, well, things with Harry aren’t that much better.)

He’s pulling a tray of gingerbread cookies, cut into all kinds of different shapes, from the oven when he hears the front door open. “You’re just in time,” he calls out, placing the tray on top of the stove. He shakes his oven mitts off, and sets them on the counter before heading back towards the front hall to meet his guest. “I’ve been baking all evening, so you have a wide variety of things-“

He stops short, words dead on his tongue and breath caught in his throat, when his gaze lands on Harry.

Harry, who’s all bundled up in a black pea coat, with a grey scarf wrapped around his neck and a black beanie on his head. Harry, whose cheeks are all pink and whose hair is dusted with little snowflakes. Harry, who looks a bit sheepish and a lot nervous, standing in the middle of the hallway.

“Harry,” Niall breathes, once he finally catches his breath and finds his voice. “Um, hi…”

“Can I, um- Can I come in?” Harry asks tentatively, like he isn’t already inside.

Niall nods, blinks, and then moves forward to collect Harry’s coat. He hangs it, along with Harry’s scarf, over one of the three empty hooks on the wall that he keeps for visitor’s belongings because, quite frankly, his closet in the front hall isn’t quite big enough. Then, he leads Harry into the kitchen.

“It smells delicious,” Harry murmurs, one step behind Niall. “Looks delicious too.”

Scattered across the small nook in the center of Niall’s kitchen is everything Niall has baked within the last few hours. Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and macaroons.

“I stress bake,” Niall admits. “It’s a nasty habit-“

“So do I,” Harry says.

Niall’s heart lurches, like it’s trying to physically jump across the space between them to get to Harry. His hand moves instinctively to grab it – which he covers up by pretending to adjust the material of his jumper over his shoulder. “Really?”

Harry nods. “Picked it up from my mum.”

“Me too,” Niall whispers.

Silence falls between them as Niall reaches over the width of the stove to turn off the oven; he suspects he won’t be baking anymore tonight anyway. He keeps his back to where Harry has settled himself on the other side of the nook, directly in front of the tray of shortbread cookies that are finally cool enough now to eat, strictly because he doesn’t know what else to do. Because Harry is here, after several days of Niall avoiding him, and Niall doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know how to react.

“Louis gave me your address, by the way,” Harry says, breaking the silence. “Just so you know that I didn’t, like, stalk you or anything.”

“I didn’t think that,” Niall says softly.

“What did I do wrong?”

Niall frowns as he turns around to face Harry. He presses his back against the counter, and shoves his hands into his pockets. “What?”

Harry shrugs. “I must have done something wrong that night the four of us went to the bar,” he mutters. His face, too, is wearing a frown and it makes Niall’s heart clench. “What did I do?”

“I- I don’t-“

“I know you’ve been avoiding me, Niall. I just- I just want to know what I’ve done to you to make you do that to me.”

Niall only barely holds back a gasp. He doesn’t know what to say. _‘It’s not you, it’s me,’_ seems far too cliché.

“Was it something I said?” Harry asks, his voice soft. There’s a subtle hint of what Niall recognizes as desperation there too. “Or, God- Did I just read all the signs wrong?”

“W-What?”

Harry sighs; he sounds defeated. “I was flirting with you. Or, at least I was trying to, and-“

“Who’s Gemma?” Niall finds himself asking. He groans inwardly at how demanding he sounds.

Harry’s brow furrows in confusion. “She’s my sister. Why? What does she have to do with this?”

“Charcoal,” Niall curses, biting gently at the inside of his lip as he looks away.

“What?”

Niall sighs, shoves a hand through his hair. “I thought she was your girlfriend,” he admits sheepishly. “I didn’t – I didn’t know she was your sister, and you said you had to go home because she was having a crisis, and I just- I assumed she was your girlfriend, and then I felt stupid for ever having feelings for you, and-“

“Wait, hang on,” Harry breathes. “Back up. You assumed she was my girlfriend? Why? And why didn’t you just ask?”

“It’s complicated,” Niall murmurs.

“Seems to me like instead of asking, you just decided to avoid me instead,” Harry mutters. “Which doesn’t sound all that complicated.”

“I tried asking Louis,” Niall admits, “and he wouldn’t tell me. And I didn’t want to ask you because I was – scared, I guess.”

Harry cocks his head. “Scared of what?”

“Of a real rejection. One that was a little bit more personal than just leaving the bar that night.”

Harry frowns, looks down at where his hands are resting in his lap. “Her boyfriend had broken up with her. She said she was half a carton of candy cane ice cream and a bottle of wine down. She didn’t want to be alone, and I didn’t want her to be alone.”

Niall licks his lips. “And now I feel like an arse.”

“You have a cute arse, though, so…”

Niall blinks, taken aback. He can feel the heat rising up his neck and splattering all across his cheeks. A shiver shoots up and down his spine, and suddenly he’s all too aware of every nerve-ending in his body because they feel like they’re about to catch fire. And, as Harry stands and then gets closer, walking around the nook to stand directly in front of him, it feels like they’re just getting hotter.

“Can we just rewind for a second, again, and talk about your feelings for me?” Harry asks, his soft and curious and alluring.

Niall swallows hard around the lump in his throat, nervous – though he shrugs, in what’s probably a vain attempt to make it seem like he isn’t. “What about them?”

“Well, what do they consist of?”

“You first.”

Harry smiles softly. “You make me smile. You make me laugh. You make my heart race – a lot. Sometimes I just want to hold your hand, but most of the time I just want to snog you forever.”

Niall hums. “Is that even possible?”

Harry shrugs. “We could try.”

Niall’s breath gets caught in his throat as Harry says it, and his heart feels like it’s trying to beat out of his chest as Harry pushes himself away from the edge of the nook to get closer. Harry only needs to take one step to close the gap between them – and when he does, it’s like Niall can feel his body heat radiating off of him, can feel Harry’s breath on his face and he stands but a fraction of an inch in front of Niall.

He feels dizzy with the smell of Harry’s pine-y, musky cologne. Feels lightheaded with how close Harry is. Feels like his heart really is going to beat out of his chest-

“Wait,” Niall murmurs – and suddenly his hand is splayed out over Harry’s chest to push him back slightly. He hates the way Harry frowns, looking disappointed and little bit afraid. He takes a deep breath, and then slips out from between the counter and where Harry’s standing. “I just- I, um…” He trails off, unsure of how to properly word what he wants to say.

“What? Harry asks softly.

“I just need to know exactly what you want from me.”

Harry smirks. “I told you; I want to snog you forever.”

“No, I mean-“ Niall cuts himself off, runs a hand through his hair. “I need to know that this isn’t a game for you,” he whispers. “I need to know that you actually want this to go somewhere before I commit to anything. I just- I need to know where I stand with you.”

“You think I’m joking,” Harry murmurs. “But the truth is, I do want to snog you forever. I’ve wanted to kiss you from the very first time I saw you in the lobby months ago – and I want to kiss you for…as long as is possible. I want to get you know you better – better than anyone else. I want to introduce you to my parents. I- I want so much with you, Niall.

“I want a real future with you. One where I look back on my old life and can’t even remember what it was like without you in it.”

And- That’s the single, sweetest thing anyone has ever said to him. Niall’s never wanted to kiss him more. So he takes a step forward, reaches a hand out to curl his fingers in the fabric of Harry’s jumper, and-

That’s when it hits him.

“Charcoal,” he curses.

Harry blinks, confused. “What?”

“I have to go,” Niall murmurs. He lets go of Harry’s jumper and then walks around him, makes a beeline for the front hall.

“What?” Harry asks, following him. “Where are you going?”

Niall looks up at him as he pushes his feet into a brown pair of boots he’s just fished out of his closet. “I know how to fix Benjamin.”

“What? _Now?_ ”

“I have to,” Niall tells him. “I only have less than 24 hours – which, given the way I have to do it, only gives me approximately eight hours.”

“Oh,” Harry breathes. “What are you going to do?”

Niall shoves his arms through the sleeves of his jacket. “Infiltrate his dreams. If I can make him remember how he felt as a kid being raised by his father, and then show him the way he is now and the way his son could grow up to be, then I might be able to call it a success after all.”

Harry’s brow furrows. “You can do that?”

Niall shrugs. “I guess I’m going to see.”

“Well, I mean, do you want me to leave then? Come back another day-“

“No,” Niall murmurs, standing still in front of the thoroughly flustered looking brunet. “I mean, you can stay if you want.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

Niall nods.

“Then I’ll stay.”

Niall smiles, before finding himself leaning in to press a soft, chaste kiss against Harry’s cheek.

X

He starts by going back in time, by plucking a memory of Benjamin’s childhood out of his subconscious. Then he turns it into a dream, during which Benjamin watches through the eyes of his seven year-old self as his father screams in his mother’s face, grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her. It terrifies him. It makes him sad, and angry, and hurt. When his seven year-old self starts to cry, starts yelling for his father to stop – is when his father turns and focuses his unsettling anger on him. His father yells and stalks towards him, and Benjamin cowers, wants to run but there isn’t anywhere to go…

Then, Benjamin is himself, watching himself through the eyes of his son as he stomps throughout the main level of the house they currently live in. Watches, with his son’s laboured breathing and rapidly beating heart, as he yells and growls and throws a coffee mug at the wall. Watches the glass shatter, it’s shards raining down on the floor; watches his wife flinch and cower although he’s never physically laid a hand on her. More importantly, though, he feels the dread, and the fear within his son’s body – and he remembers what it’s like to be afraid…

And then Niall takes him to a place he hasn’t yet discovered: the future. The first thing Benjamin sees is a picture of himself, old and grey, his son, young and handsome, and a little boy who looks almost exactly like the both of them combined. That’s when he realizes that he’s looking through his grandson’s mind’s eye. His grandson, who isn’t even born yet, but who’s cowering a corner of what looks like a living room as his father – Benjamin’s son – yells, and screams at his mother…

And Niall sees the moment. He sees the exact moment when Benjamin realizes that this is what the future holds if something doesn’t change in his presence.

X

Benjamin is a different person when he wakes up in the morning, Niall notices as he gazes down on the crystal ball. He doesn’t race to his bedroom window and shout it to the world, the way Scrooge would. Nor does he go around town making public displays of affection. But rather, it’s in the small things.

It’s in the way he rolls over in bed, curls both arms around his wife’s body, and holds her close whilst whispering overdue apologies and promises for a better future in her ear.

It’s in the way he tip-toes into his son’s room, announcing cheerfully and joyfully that _‘It’s Christmas morning, and it’s time to see what Santa brought!’_ before bringing the boy into his arms, brushing his fingers through the boy’s hair and promises him that things are going to be different now.

It’s in the way he smiles. It’s in the way he laughs. It’s in the way he tells his wife and his son that he loves them every chance he gets.

Niall considers it a success.

X

His flat still smells like baked goods when he gets home – and, to Niall’s delight, Harry’s jacket is still hanging up in the front hall. It’s quiet, though, so he moves about slowly and quietly. He hangs his jacket up in the closet, kicks his shoes off, and then takes gentle footsteps through to the living room, which is where he finds Harry.

Harry, who’s asleep with his whole body spread across the length of the sofa. Harry, whose arms are crossed over his chest, curled in on himself. Harry, who looks cute and beautiful when he sleeps.

Niall wants to curl up with him.

Instead, Niall finds himself sitting against the arm of the couch and carding his fingers through Harry’s hair. He whispers Harry’s name softly, and waits patiently for Harry to wake up slowly.  
Harry blinks himself awake, smiles when he sees Niall looking down at him. “Hey,” he whispers, voice groggy.

“Hey, yourself,” Niall murmurs back.

The brunet pushes himself up, makes room for Niall on the cushion. “How’d it go?”

“Really well. Everyone is happy.”

“Good,” Harry smiles, rubbing his eyes. “I’m glad.”

“Me too,” Niall whispers, smiling fondly. “What did you get up to?”

Harry shrugs. “I found _Love Actually_ on the telly, so I watched that. And then I followed that up with numerous other Christmas movies.”

Niall hums. The image of Harry lying sprawled across the sofa, watching Christmas movies with a mug of hot cocoa, makes his heart feels three sizes too big.

“Oh, and your mum called,” Harry tells him. “She wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas, and said she looks forward to seeing you for dinner tomorrow – unless you want to go for a visit tonight.”

Niall hums again.

“Do you? Want to go tonight? Because I can just-“

“Nah,” Niall murmurs. “I, um- I was thinking that we could go out, maybe get some hot cocoa..?”

Harry grins. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he whispers.

Niall smiles back, feels his heart beating hard and fast in his chest as he pushes himself to his feet. He feels like he’s going to explode. “I’m just gonna go change and freshen up a bit.”

“Yeah, sure,” Harry nods, pushing himself to his feet as well. He wipes his hands on his jeans, and then pushes them into each front pocket.

“Hey,” Niall whispers, reaching one hand out to grip Harry’s wrist. A shiver travels from his fingertips to the tips of his toes – and Harry looks at him, eyes wide and curious, mouth hung open ever so slightly, which tells him that maybe Harry felt it too. “Thank you for waiting for me.”

Harry smirks. “Any time.”

“Can I kiss you first?”

The brunet smiles, pulling his hands out of his pockets to grasp gently at Niall’s hips and pull him closer. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Harry’s lips are soft, and his tongue tastes like Niall’s sugar cookies. Fireworks go off behind Niall’s eyelids as he melts into it, fingers clenching in the fabric of Harry’s navy blue jumper. It’s like flying and falling, like nothing he could have ever imagined and yet everything he’s ever dreamed of in a kiss. It’s everything. It’s all things.

It’s like heaven on earth.


End file.
